Shortcuts to a New More Stylish Home

If your home is feeling a little drab and dated, then why not spend the weekend sprucing it up a little?  You don't have to spend a lot of money, or invest a lot of time, to make your home a brighter and more cheerful place.  Take a look at these quick fixes that will make your home more stylish - without landing you up to your elbows in paint and wallpaper paste!

Clutter Drags You Down

A tidy home looks a lot more stylish than a cluttered one, but that doesn't mean that you have to live like a neat freak.  A few minutes of ruthless de-cluttering can work wonders, and will allow you to enjoy the decorating that you already have.

If you can't throw out all of the clutter, invest in some low-cost, stylish storage boxes.  You can pick up sturdy boxes with cute motifs on them at a serious discount at many book stores these days.

Accents and Accessories

Instead of spending a lot of money on new wallpaper, carpets, or furniture, why not accessorize?  You can add a lot of color to your home with paintings or artistic posters, throws to cover up your old (but still comfy) sofa, and rugs or mats.

Don't over-do it on accessories, though.  There's a point where your "nice accents" become "clutter and tat", and it's easy to get carried away if you don't have a plan for where each item will go and what it's supposed to do.

Dress Your Windows

If your old curtains are looking a bit drab, swap them out for cheap roller blinds.  It doesn't take long to fit them, and even cheap roller blinds can make your room look bigger, brighter, and more inviting.  You can use this trick for other rooms too.  You may want to get a set of blackout roller blind  for your bedroom.  A good set of carefully fitted blackout roller blinds can make it much easier to get a good night's sleep if you live in an area that has a lot of light pollution.

Scents and Sounds

Great rooms don't just look nice, they smell nice too.  Instead of relying on artificial air fresheners, consider aromatherapy oils, incense, or scented candles.  Stick on some relaxing music too, and you'll soon find yourself feeling relaxed and content.

Watch Your Lighting

Poor lighting can make even the nicest of rooms look dingy.  The answer isn't just to add more light - in fact that can have an even worse effect, making you feel exhausted, and giving you a headache.  Instead of just adding light, consider changing your light bulbs to ones that produce a softer, more natural glow.  Combine this with spot and functional lighting in areas where you're likely to need it, and dimmer switches to let you control the level of lighting.

Open your curtains or roller blinds during the day to ensure you get the full benefit of any sunlight, and use your artificial light only when you need it.